Vacuum heating system



WITNESSES:

T. 0. PERRY.

VACUUM HEATING SYSEM.

APPUCAHON HLED APR. 2. I917.

Patentad Jan. 4, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET L INVENTOR I. 0. PERRY.

VACUUM HEATING SYSTEM.

mwucmon man an. 2* 19:1.

1 ,364, 139, Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOIAS 0. PERRY, 0! DA! PARK, ILLINOIS.

VACUUI nm'rnto swarm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Y Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

Apptlogtlhnjlcd April 2, um.v Serial 8'0. 150,200.

throughthermo-valves; and the objects of m improvements are. first, to provide for el iictually removing air from the radiawrs; second, to provide for returning condensed steam to tpe boiler freed from air and without unt ue waste: of'heet; third, to pro vide against hack-leaks e of air through the vacu in producing mec anism; and, fourth, ct the return totheboiler of condensed stax'n without requiring the use of e separate pump in addition to the vacuum producing device.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing. in

Figure l is a diagrammatic outline of the entire vacuum heating system; Fig. 2, a sectional plan of the vacuum producer; and Fig. 3, a vertical section of the vacuum producer.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The boiler l supplies steam to the radiator 2 through the pipes 3 and inlet vaive 4. Valor of condensation flows oris conducted back to the boiler through a thermo-valve :3, pipes 6, vacuum tank 7 pipes 8, tank 9 and pipes 10. The pipe 1'! and trap 12-allow water of condensation in pipe il torei nter the boiler without. returnin stem; The

general arrangement so far ascribed isvtlia usual one edopted by so called return pipe steam heating systems. That is, the parts named are. all used with such systems and some other parts as well which my invention renders unnecessary A leading feature of all return-pipevac-- umu steam heating systems is the thermo valve which allows water and air to escape from a radiator without permittin the pessage of steam, and some form 0 vacuum pump is used to draw water and 6. The vacuum ta k is not therewith a water-tight 'oint.

ir from is partially filled with water whose surface is indicated by the broken line 13. Sub merged in the Water are two superposed disks l'ql'edapted to revolve about a-vertical axis and having their intervening space free from obstruction except for two opposite impellers 15 which connect together the two disks and divide the space between into two equal parts. "These 'm ellers extcnd-tothe outer periphery of} e .isks but do not meat at the-center, Screwed into the lower disk from below is .a tubular journal 16 which communicates centrally with th'espace he tween the disks. Screwed into the upper. disk is a shaft ITextending. u ward and having a. reduced extension 18 w u'ckpasses through a packing gland 19 in the tank cover 20. clutch 21 serves for making direct connection with. the shaft of a vertical electric motor 22 by which the disks 14 are made to revolve rapidly in the water. The gland cap 23 has a cup-shaped top suiteblef for'reteining oil. The motor rests on the tank cover as shown.

The water in the tank is held from whirling by means of stationary water brakes 25 which extend upward from a supporting brake plate 25 secured to the bottom of the tank by the studs 26 whichalso secure un derneath the tiink a circular flange 27 must]:-

. e flange 27 is threaded to receive t e terminal end of pipe 8 directly below the'tubular journal 16 which revolves within a close able material, and clamped between the brake-plate and flange 27.

Any water which enters the space between the-disks 14 from the return pipe 8, or otherwise, is immediately discharged into the tank by .rentrifugal force, but air and vapor which are too lightfor centrifugal discharge are whirled between the disks and dra wn into the water by entrainment producing bearing 28, lined with wood or other suitgs fore I have provided at condensing device,

a strong partial vacuum in the pipe 8 as described in the patent above mentioned. The air rises in bubbles through the water and accumulates in the top of the closed tank producin pressure on the surface of the water. i ccumulation of water of condense; tion tends to raise the water surface 13 above the open lower end of tli'e discharge pipe 10 until the accumulating airpressure above drives the excess of water into the boiler 1, past the check valve 29.

To prevent air from entering the discharge pipe 10, a float 30, incloscd in a separate float chamber 31, located just outside of the tank may be used to open a vent valve 32 before the water surface is lowered sufliciently to uncover the lower end of the dis-- charge pipe. As the top of the float chamber communicates with the top of the tank through the nipple 33, andthc bottom of the float chamber receives water from the bottom of the tank through the pipe 34, the water level in tank and flout chamber will b0 the same and the float will act the same as if it were located within the tank. The float has a seating guide 35 just beneath the vent and at the lower end is guided by a stem 36 extending loosely through the bottom of the float chamber. I As water must enter. and find its wav out through the restricted opening around the stem 36, agitation of the ter within the float chamber is prevented. If water were discharged through the pipe 10 into a separating tank in the usual manner, the float 30 could be dispensed with, as both water and air would then be discharged through the same pipe.

The apparatus as so far described is comlete for use under ordinary circumstances if. the thermo v'aives .on the radiatorsefl'ectively prevent passage of steam into the return pipe 8, as they are supposed to do; but as these valves are liable to leak and-pass considerable steam it iasometimes less trou'- ble to condense this steamgthan spend too much time in cleaningtthe' valves. There- 'attiu-hed to the return pipe, which". will supply the necessary cold condensing water,,as-

much as may be needed d no more.

The pipe 37 connects with source of cold the return water and {communicates pipe 8 through, the nip 1e 38 w ion the assage is not closed by tie valve 39 Wl'llCl is mpunted on au-ylindrical stem 40 passing through a packing gland {ll in the connecting T 42. The cylindrical stem has a collar 43 thrust upward by a helical spring 44 tending to hold the valve 39 open. The lower end of the sprin rests upon a casing 45 inclosing a flexible diaphragm and connected with the T by a tubular support 46 which incloses the spring. The diaphragm 47 connects with {the stem 40 in a manner suitable,

for compressing the spring and closing the 'sion is maintained in the return pipe 8.

valves 5, the vacuum in the return pipe 8 will be impaired causing the cold water valve.

39 to open. If the thermo valves do their duty and preventstcam from entering the pipe 8,the desired vacuum will be maintained Without condensing water sufficiently to keep the cold water valve closed, so that no water will be wasted for condensin when not needed. However, as much co] water can be used without Wastefulness as may be required to replenish unavoidable loss from the boiler. An automatic switch 49 adapted to stop the motor ,w'henever the vacuum tension reaches the desired maximum limit, and start it when the vacuum is reduced to a predetermined minimum, is connected by the pipe 50 with the expansion tank 7.

The cold condensing water mafehe conducted directl into the tank 9 through the pipe 38 instea of being drawn there by suction through the return pipe 8. If the" water in the tank is by any means maintained at a temperature well below the boiling point, all steam will immediately condensed as it issues from between the disks I13 and rises through the water in fine bub- This vacuum producer is especially adapted to use with steam vacuum heating systems because the water in the tank at all times effectively seals the return pipe against leakage of air back into the radiators after it has once been sucked out. Ordinary vacuum ps, especially when idle, are not well adtifil d to exclude the return of air to the syste and consequently have to be he t in operation more than would otherwise be necessary. Water, too, is detrimental to most vacuum pumps which usually are protected against the condensed steam by a j rather elaborate water and dirt trap.

Thls vacuum producer, instead of being injured by condensation, depends for its acfor protecting theaspirator, as is fully set fort in my previous patent referred to above.

The packing gland 1.9 should fit the shaft 13 closely'enough to prevent much leakage ofiwater but does not need to be air-tight.

The air which accumulates in the top of the tank might all be allowed to escape by leukage around the shaft, or otherwise, instead o being released by u flout-controlled vent. or. by discharge with the water through the pipe 10. If a small amount of water also leaks past the gland it may be returned to the boiler by other means or may go to waste.

As usually installedpthe pump is pr imaril adapted to pumpin water and men dentaly pumps air ming ed with water; whereas, the submerged aspirator here de scribed does not necessarily pump water at all, and what water passes through incidentall in no way aids the extraction of air from tile return pipe. If the water of condensation be admitted to the ciosed tank without passing through the aspirator, the air is more el'lectivel forced into the-tank through the water 0 submergence,

During those intervals when the aspirator is in action, water can not flow back ihto the return pipe. When the as irator is not,

in action, a limited amount 0 water flows -back into the return pipe and forms an impervious seal against reiintrance of air into the system through the return pipe. In other systems, air can leak back through the pump during periods of inaction, as dependence is placed upon check valves ast which most of the air leaks which has to pumped and re amped. If allback leakage of air could e prevented, there would be little need of a vacuum pump after the air has once been pumped out.

Claims: V 1. In a vacuum heatin system, the combination with the boiler, t e radiators and the returnpi'pe, of a tank for receiving the contents of said return pipe, a water exit located some distance above the tank-bottom, a discharge pipe leading from said water exit to sa d boiler, a check valve to prevent return of water from said discharge pipe, an aspirator submerged inthe water retained in the lower art of said tank, a motor for actuating sai aspirator, tubular connection between said return pi and said aspjrator, an ait vent located igher up the-ii said water exit and means forclosing said vent when water accumulates above said water erg-it, whereby a water level is maintained sufticient to constantly submerge the waterexit, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a vacuum heating system, the combinatidn with the boiler, the radiators and the return ipe, of a tank for receiving the contents 0 said return ipe, a water exit located some distance a ovc the tank-bottom, a discharge pipe leading from said water exit to said boiler, a check valve to prevent return of water from-said discharge pipe, an aspirator submerged in the water retained in the lower part of said tank. a motor for actuating said aspirator, tubular connection between said return pipe and'said aspirator,- an air vent located higher up than said water exit and means 'whereby changes in water level above said water exit close or open said vent as required to maintain a proper depth of water, substantially as herein set forth.

3. In a'vacuum heating system, the combination with the boiler, the radiators and the return ipe, of a tank for receiving the contents 0 said return ipe, a water exit lo cated some distance a ve the tank-bottom, a discharge pi e leading from said exit to saidiboiler, a c ieck valve to prevent return of water from said discharge pipe, .an aspirator submerged in the water retained in the lower part of said tank, a inotor'for actuating said aspirator, tubular connection between said return pipe-and said aspirator, an air vent normally open at a higher level than said water exit, and means for closing said air vent when excess of water accumulates above said water exit, whereby further accumulation of air expelssaid excess of water, substantially as herein set forth.-

4. In a vacuuu pcating system, the combination with the boiler, the radiators and the return pipe. of u tank for receiving the contents of said return ipe, a water exit lo cated some distance a ove the tank-bottom, a discharge pipe leading from said'water exit to said boiler. a check valve to prevent return of water from said discharge pipe, an aspirator submerged in the water retained in the lower part of said tank, a motor for actuating said aspirator, tubular connection between said return pipe and said aspirator, a vent for escapeof air from said tank, a float for opening and closing said vent, and a separate float chamber having a restricted water inlet passage, substantially as herein set forth.

5. In a vacuum heating system the combi nation with the boiler, the radiators and the return pipe, of a covered tankfor receiving the contents of saidreturn pipe, a water exit intermediately placed between the bottom and top of said tank, an aspirator in the water retained in the lower part of said tank, tubular connection between said aspirator and said return pipe, 9. motor for actuating said aspirator, a discharge pipe leading from said water exit, an air vent located higher up than said water exit and means whereby accumulations of water abow said water exit act to restrictescape of air'fhrough said vent, substantially as 

